In my previous blog, I recounted my journey to find my spiritual path, and I answered some of the questions that I’m most frequently asked. I hope you enjoyed that blog. But I did leave the single most commonly asked question out because that one requires an in-depth answer. So much so, that I felt it was a question whose answer deserved its own blog. Read on…
Before I answer the big question… I feel the need to get a couple of basic things down in writing first… especially for the newer practitioners out there. I have noticed lately an increase in social media posts from people in the Craft who are attempting to dictate to others how to work their own spiritual paths. Posts telling people that they have to do certain things a certain way, or use certain tools, or not use certain herbs or work with certain deities… there was even one post that told people to stop saying that they work with their god(s) because humans aren’t worthy of that kind of relationship with a deity. So let me break this down by subject…
About tools… there are certain tools of the Craft that are very useful, but none are necessary by any means. Some that can be helpful are a bell or chime, a boline, an athame, a wand, a chalice, candles (color depends on the intent of the working), statues of the god(s)/goddess(es) you are working with, incense or resins, a burner or censer for the incense or resins, crystals appropriate to the particular working, etc. These (and many others) are very helpful in ritual or spellwork but are not necessary. Use what works for, and resonates with you. Sometimes, less is more.
An altar is also helpful, but not a must. If you create an altar (please note that it is not spelled alter, as that has an entirely different meaning), it doesn’t have to be elaborate, nor does it have to be a permanent fixture. It can be a collapsing table that you can store in the closet with your other tools when not in use, which is helpful if you’re still in the broom closet or simply have limited space. However, many Wiccans/Witches choose to dedicate a space in their homes for a permanent altar… some, like me and my chosen family, dedicate a specific room in the house for the altar and all the associated tools. Do what works for you.
The one tool that, in my opinion, is absolutely necessary is the Book of Shadows. This can be anything from a simple notebook to an elaborately decorated and bound blank book. It’s your choice. Some even choose to create a digital Book of Shadows on their computer and some choose to have both. Either way, this is where you should write down things you learn relating to your path that you’ll want to refer to in the future, such as spellwork that works (in detail), spellwork that doesn’t work (and perhaps notes about why), rituals for Sabbats and Esbats, bits of wisdom you want to remember, and anything else related to your path and your practice that is important to you. If you’re using a physical book, know that as time passes and your practice grows, you may need to create additional volumes. However, you should never throw away the older stuff you write! Keep it for future reference, if only to reflect on where you started and how far you’ve come from time to time. I recommend recording the date on each entry, as you would in a journal or diary, to help you establish a timeline. This can also be helpful in the future if/when you are helping a newcomer with creating their own path. Your Book of Shadows (BOS) should always be kept in a safe place where you can easily access it, as it contains your knowledge and experience in working your path.
Sidebar: Regarding spellwork… I have seen people on various social media platforms posting things like “Last night, I did a spell for (insert goal here). This is what I did and what I used in detail.” Sometime later, I often see that same person posting “Remember that spell I told you about? Well, it worked, but not the way I wanted it to work.” Now, I get that people may want to share their experiences with others, thinking that it can be helpful. That’s all well and good, but there’s a problem with this when it comes to active spells. Talking about it to others before the spell has produced results exposes the energy of the spell to the opinions and energies of others. This can seriously change, limit, or cancel out the work you have done because spellwork is the manipulation of energy directed toward a specific outcome. The energy of others can and does skew the energy you have sent out in the spell. Here’s the general rule… NEVER discuss your active spellwork before it has produced the results you desire.
With regards to doing things a certain way… your methods are going to be unique to you because this is YOUR path. There are some basic elements of spellwork that are necessary, but the structure will be of your choosing. You can find more information in the book I mentioned in my last blog, Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham. He gives the basic elements and structure of spellwork, which you can use as a guide to create your own methods.
With regards to deity… I will speak at length later in this blog regarding my relationship with deity. Whatever your path, however you perceive deity, know this… if a particular deity resonates with you, learn all you can about that deity. Research their history, the culture of their origin, the mythos, and realms of power of that deity… and if it feels right for you to work with that deity, then do so. But do so with as much knowledge of that deity as possible. This is true even if you believe as I do, that we are deity. Why? Because when you are doing spiritual work, it is often helpful to have a focal point… a physical representation of the aspect of deity that is needed to successfully create your desired outcome. Even believing as I do on this subject, I often work with various representations of deity… Pan, Hecate, Hermes, and various others. I do so because it helps me to focus my intent, access my own personal power, and manifest my desired outcome.
Now, a word here about those practitioners who would tell others how to walk their own spiritual path… Stop! Each person’s path is their own. Each person creates it in their own way, learns in their own time, and uses what works for them. No one has the authority to tell you how to practice your own spirituality. No. One. Those who presume to tell you that you’re doing it all wrong because you don’t do it the way they do are usually acting out of ego. When I see social media posts like this, or hear someone speaking to another in this way, all kinds of red flags go up in my head. Ignore them, politely, and work your own path your own way.
Now, of course, if you’re a member of a coven or tradition and they are teaching you about the Craft and how they do things, that’s another situation altogether. Many traditions/covens teach their members to do things a specific way, to have specific tools, etc. These teachings are unique to that specific tradition or coven. If you are going to work together, you need to all be on the same page in order to be effective. The same is true if you have asked someone to teach you. These situations are not what I’m addressing here.
The sharing of methods and information with each other, whether it is among coven/tradition members or solitary practitioners is perfectly fine because there is much to learn from each other. In sharing methods and ideas, one can find a more comfortable or effective way of accomplishing a working, and can even gain a new perspective on things. This is especially true in a coven or tradition where it is understood that things are done a specific way by all members in order to prevent chaos and be as effective as possible.
The problem arises when some random person tells you that their way is the only way or the right way. There is no only way to do any of this… there are a million ways to do anything. The important thing is what works for YOU. That is the right way for you.
Now, about the issue of cultural appropriation of tools, herbs, and even deities. This has become a huge concern of late, and it does have an effect on one’s spiritual practice. Dictionary.com defines Cultural Appropriation as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” Is it real? Yes. Is it an issue in the Pagan community? Yes. Is it harmful to other cultures? Yes. How do I feel about it? Well, that depends on the specific situation, as there are many variables that determine whether it is really Cultural Appropriation or not.
If you are adopting, for example, the practice of burning white sage to smudge a space, it could be cultural appropriation. White sage is a sacred herb to many Native American cultures. It has a long history of use and reverence within the spiritual practices of those cultures. For starters, sage is a medicine, and traditionally, medicines are to be gifted, not sold. It is one of the four sacred medicines: Tobacco, cedar, sage, and sweet grass. These are traditional medicines that have physical qualities for medicinal purposes, and a spiritual aspect used in traditional healing and ceremonies. Medicines, like everything else in Native American culture, are used carefully, with specific intent, and sparingly.
One of the first lessons I learned when living with the Navajo and Hopi was “Nature provides what is needed. Take only what you need, and thank the spirit of the plant or animal for its sacrifice.” How many non-Native people do you know that actually practice this or even think about it? Precious few, I’m sure. Most non-Native people that have adopted the burning of white sage have done so mostly because it’s popular now, and they have little to no knowledge of the history or meaning of this herb to the Indigenous peoples. There is also concern that non-Native people who use it in this way are infringing upon the cultural importance and authenticity of the ritual and prayer… and that is cultural appropriation.
White sage has become so popular with Pagans and Neo-Pagans alike for smudging that it is being grossly over-harvested and is quickly becoming endangered. The over-harvesting is due, primarily, to the Pagan supply industry, which is simply cashing in on a profitable fad within the community. Profit is their main goal. The same is true for Palo Santo. This mass-harvesting and mass-marketing of these herbs purely for monetary profit is blatant cultural appropriation. Again, white sage is a medicine, and medicines traditionally are to be gifted.
But, even as a person of Native American heritage, I do not have the right to tell anyone not to use it at all. Your spiritual practice is, indeed, yours and yours alone. Instead, I can make them aware of the situation and suggest other herbs to use. There are many herbs that serve the same purpose… such as Juniper, Rosemary, Mugwort, Cedar, Blue Sage, Desert Sage, Bay, and Lavender, among others. Any of those herbs can be used just as effectively instead of White Sage or Palo Santo and they are not in danger of extinction. I can also suggest that practitioners look into their own cultural heritage to discover what their ancestors used for cleansing a space. Sounds, such as a chime or a singing bowl, work just as well, by the way, and do not require the burning of anything. This is useful if smoke in the space is an issue.
However, if you simply MUST use white sage, consider growing your own. Any good plant nursery will have plants and/or seeds for sale, and they are relatively easy to grow. This will help efforts to preserve the species, is much less expensive for you, and allows you to harvest only what’s needed and leave the rest to grow for later. Seriously, you don’t need an entire thick bundle of white sage, or any other herb, to cleanse a space! A few dried leaves placed on a burning charcoal (the type used to burn incense) will do. You could also dry the leaves ahead of time, and use your mortar and pestle to grind them into powder, which you would then sprinkle on the burning charcoal as needed. Either way, just fan the smoke gently as you move around the space.
Regarding cleansing a space… the goal is not to banish negative energy, contrary to popular belief. That would create an imbalance. The goal is to balance the negative and positive energies that are present. There must be balance in all things, otherwise, energy becomes chaotic and will seek its own balance in any way possible. This can lead to very unpredictable, and usually unwanted, results. Please keep that in mind.
And now that we’ve discussed all of that, I suppose it’s time to answer the big one… Do I believe in God? This one requires a more detailed answer than just a ‘yes’ or ‘no’…
I do believe in a higher power, but not as most people conceive of it. I don’t believe there is some all-knowing, all-seeing, wrathful entity sitting in the clouds on a throne getting pissed off if I don’t worship them and commit myself to a life of servitude in their name. Quite frankly, I would never want to serve a god like that, ever.
This is where the One Soul comes in because the One Soul is divinity. Because each living creature that exists, has existed, or will exist contains a part of that One Soul, it knows all through experiencing life via those life forms. By extension, because each one of us possesses a portion of the One Soul, we are divinity experiencing life on this plane as ourselves. As divine beings, we have the power to create our own reality, and we do so with every breath we take. This is not something we are usually conscious of doing, but if you know anything at all about manifesting, you’re on the right track. “God” lives within each of us, whether we’re human, animal, insect, plant, or fungus. If a thing is alive, then it possesses a piece of the One Soul and it is divine. Because of this understanding of the One Soul, one of my personal mantras is “All life is sacred”.
For clarity, I am not saying that we are Gods in the sense that most people define the word. However, I am saying that a part of God… the One Soul… is in each of us, and that is divinity. Even the Bible has at least seven scriptures that refer to God/the Holy Spirit/the Kingdom of God living within us. Coincidence? I think not. I believe that it is alluding to exactly what I believe… the One Soul is real, it is divinity, and a part of it is within each and everything that has lived, is living, or will ever live.
This is why I do not bow in worship to anyone or anything. I am not subservient to any gods, nor do I fear them. Instead, I walk with them and have a working relationship with them, because they are us and we are them. I say “them” for two reasons… first, because there is a duality of energy to the force we call god. There is the nurturing, healing, creative, life-giving energy which is often perceived as feminine or goddess energy. Then there is also the destructive, protective, aggressive energy which is often perceived as masculine or god energy. While I recognize the duality, I tend not to ascribe those characteristics to a particular gender. It seems a bit off to me, as I have known very nurturing, healing men and very protective, aggressive, and even destructive women. But we, as humans, tend to assign gender roles to certain characteristics, hence the god/goddess images one sees throughout history.
The second reason I say “them” is that every one of us sees god differently. Take for example the various pantheons of history. If you do your research, you will see that each pantheon… Greek, Roman, Egyptian, etc… has a god or goddess with the same or very similar mythos as a god or goddess in the other pantheons. For example, the god of speed and communication is Hermes in the Greek pantheon and Mercury in the Roman pantheon. Their mythos is incredibly similar and their realms of power are as well. Why? Because gods and goddesses are the human mind’s way of attempting to quantify something it can not completely understand. In order to do this, humans turn them into human-like beings with faces, names, and boundaries to their power. We imbue them with human-like feelings, emotions, limitations, and personalities and create mythos around them that mirrors human situations. This is not, at all, by accident or coincidence. It is deliberate, and perhaps, subliminal in origin. We need to see how they resolve difficult human situations in order to try to predict outcomes and figure out how to deal with those situations ourselves.
But spirituality isn’t just about gods and goddesses. It’s also about personal power and self-worth. Witchcraft, in general, is about reclaiming your personal power, knowing your worth, and setting your boundaries. It is about consciously creating your own reality. It is about recognizing that all things, at their core, are made of energy. To practice witchcraft, one learns to tune into that energy and manipulate it on a quantum level in order to produce a desired outcome. Yes, in this way, quantum physics comes into play here, whether you’re conscious of it or not. There is science behind witchcraft… and it doesn’t matter if you’re a Witch, a Wiccan, a Druid, or whatever term you identify your path by.
Now that I’ve introduced you to a potentially mind-blowing concept, take a moment and ponder it seriously. If we each share a part of the same soul, then we are each other. If we are each other, then when we do harm to another… be they human, animal, fly on the wall, whatever… then we harm ourselves. If we try to see the world through their eyes, imagine ourselves in the place of the person you’re angry with for example, we discover compassion for them instead of hatred. We find an understanding of them, rather than fear. We return, instead, to love. If, as witches, we hex or curse someone for doing us wrong… who are we really harming? Are we not, by extension, harming ourselves? Would it not be more humane and productive to learn the lessons contained in the situation, and then wish our wrongdoers all that they deserve?
This leaves it up to karma. Karma, contrary to modern Western beliefs, is not a bitch or vengeance… it is a mirror that reflects your actions and energies back on you. It is a form of divine justice, of returning intent and energy to its originator. If you do harmful things or act with negative intent, that will come back to you and you will find yourself on the receiving end of it. It may not happen right away... karma takes it's own sweet time... but it will come back to you when the time is right. Most people who act out of revenge do so because they want their adversary to understand how they were made to feel by the adversary’s actions or words. Revenge, magical or otherwise, only perpetrates more harm and negativity. Karma, on the other hand, creates a situation for the adversary that allows them to experience what they inflicted on you in a way that they can learn and understand what they have done to you. That is karmic justice.
I hope that I have answered some questions and that it has resonated with some of you. You will undoubtedly hear more about the One Soul tradition in the near future. Eric is in the process of writing it all down, which takes time, and he plans to publish a book about it once he’s done writing it because it might just be what someone out there needs to help them make sense of this world and the life they are living. In the meantime, if this makes sense to you and you want to know more about the One Soul tradition, leave a comment on this blog and I will be in touch.